Dandelion - Rapture in Blue
by Aura
Summary: A One Shot for the Dandelion Otome game. Featuring Heejung and the Magician. Who I felt sort of got the short end of the stick in the game. For a contest. Hope anyone that does read it enjoys it.


_"Am I in love? This can't be good. After everything that was done for my sake…I just feel…selfish."_ Heejung Kim sighed deeply, lost in her own thoughts.

The gardens where she sat were breathtaking, midnight blue and white roses intermingled as the thorn laden bushes grew like ivy along the walls. There were more traditional reds framing the sides of cobblestone paths, blended with a myriad collection of other floral it felt a little like walking through a marvelous landscape painting than being just inside the castles inner courtyards…

The beauty was lost currently on the girl, where she'd marveled at them upon first arriving here now she'd walked these paths so much she'd memorized them. She let out another long sigh, glancing up along the path where her guard was supposed to meet her.

A bit of wind making her bangs tickle her forehead and she let out a slightly bittersweet smile at the lovely weather. The afternoon was nice despite the fact it was early autumn and some of the leaves had begun to change. Cold weather rarely plagued the Kingdom of Grass, it would grow cooler in the evenings but the days were rarely unpleasant.

Heejung had come to this land because Jieun had pulled her here, the soon to be ruler of the castle she was in now. Jieun; the beautiful white rabbit that had been her pet for so many months, he was really the Prince of another world. One that he'd brought her to because he'd promised never to leave her. Yet, he was never actually here and with the way many of the court treated her she was often lonely. Since they had been engaged the court members whispered how unworthy she was, one attempted to harm her…she had been assigned a few guards as a result of the issue.

Marriage? Heejung knew she didn't want to marry Jieun. She cared about him, but more like a younger brother and a best friend than a lover despite the fact they were engaged. What was she supposed to say after all he'd done for her? At first she'd thought she would be fine, she could learn to be happy just being close to the young rabbit. That was until she met one of the members of her guard…only a week ago when Jieun left to check on a province far from the city.

He had silver hair similar to Jihae's, though it was more platinum and paler without being fully white like Jieun. He kept it long with a a ponytail in the back where there were bangs that fell haphazardly around his face. He wore black robes with various splashes of color; magenta, gold, green, blue, rich purples. That wasn't completely out of place in this world. People seemed to greatly enjoy color, though the gold chains over his left shoulder as well as the gemmed bracelet around his right wrist were more a mark of riches. There was something otherworldly about him even more than the other people around her, and most surprisingly he'd been the first other person she'd seen without animal ears.

Most memorable though were his brilliant rose colored eyes that seemed to look into her so easily, as though he knew things about her that were impossible for others to know. He'd seemed so sad when she first asked his name…

"I'm a simple Magician." It's all he would tell her…yet she found herself incredibly curious despite that. She'd sought him out a few times; she had tea with him or sat with him at meals. She could speak of her world and he seemed to understand her, he called himself a Magician but when she'd asked if he could do magic all he'd done was a little slight-of-hand that she knew was just a trick.

Heejung hadn't pressed after that, she didn't know what magic could cost. She hadn't really seen it herself, only knew that's what it took to bring her here and that it wasn't common to begin with.

A grin came to her face when her pale haired guard rounded a corner, a sly smirk on his lips that she'd come to enjoy. "My heroine…how are you today?"

It was what he'd always called her, she found it hard to protest, it was a compliment and more interesting than 'my lady' which she always heard from Jieun or Jihae when the now former Knight visited the palace. Yet, she couldn't help the smile that he inspired when she saw him, there was something addictively mysterious yet comfortably familiar about the unique man all at the same time.

She got up politely as he approached her. "I am well, and you? I didn't see you at breakfast."

"No, I'm afraid I had some personal business to attend. Did anyone bother you?" His baritone was instantly more serious, protective of her.

"No, no, it was just lonely." She said, nodding toward the paths. "Let's walk if you don't mind."

"Of course my heroine, there is no need for you to feel that way. I am here and I will not leave you today unless you ask it of me." He replied, slipping closer and wrapped her arm around his, pulling her a little closer. It was an intimate way to walk…too much so according to some of the ladies maids but Heejung didn't want to keep her distance.

Guilt was easier to push aside when he was right there next to her, somehow smelling of coffee and chocolate and other sweet things. He was warm and made her feel, at least for a little while, like she actually belonged in this world. It was wrong of her…Jieun didn't know…he seemed as though he cared but she wasn't sure he really wanted this either. Now that they'd gotten to know each other better he seemed more and more willing to take trips that kept him away for longer and longer periods. Of course, not to mention that they were engaged and despite her asking he hadn't set a date for the real marriage yet.

Still, she needed to know if her Magician even cared about her like she did him…to tell Jieun that she didn't love him in a way that she wanted to marry him. It was all just getting so complicated…

"You are so distracted today, my heroine. Is something bothering you? Would you rather go outside the palace walls and walk freely in the fields?" The Magician's words were so tempting. She looked up to find they'd stopped, probably because she did, sometimes she would just stop walking when she was deep enough in thought. His face was so close to hers his noble features were in clear detail.

"Uh, no, no…you'd get in trouble." She said, blushing as she took a step back quickly from the proximity, nearly stumbling as she backed into one of the bushes. A gloved hand caught her and steadied her though she winced as she pulled away from the bushes, looking down to see thorns had cut into her lower legs before she'd gotten away.

"You are a little hopeless sometimes. You should pay closer attention as opposed to letting your mind take you elsewhere." He chided, leaning down to look at her legs and the small line of crimson coming from a single of the many small scrapes.

"Right…" Heejung managed nervously as he lifted her skirt enough to get a better look at the wound. He tore part of the bottom of the fabric to make into a makeshift bandage. She could feel her blush by the time he was done carefully wrapping the tiny wound.

"There. Take more care, the prince might hang me if something were to happen to you while I was here." He said lightly, a pale brow perking when he noticed she was staring at him. "My heroine, are you well?"

"Fine," she looked instantly at the ground, trying to calm the flitter of her heart. The warmth lingering on her leg where he'd gently tended to her wound made it a losing battle. "I should go…"

"Are you afraid of me my lady?" The magician's deep vice was slightly amused despite the question. "Or is there some other inspiration for your dismay?"

"I wouldn't call it fear." She mumbled, pausing when he took her hand. She so wanted to kiss him, to just find out what it would be like. Yet, she didn't know what he thought, would it ruin the friendship they already had?

"What would you call it then?" He asked with a somewhat neutral tone, leaning closer to her again to look more intently at her face. His hand with the bare fingers rising to touch her forehead and then her cheek as though making sure she didn't have a fever.

There he was, checking on her, her perfect Magician who might not have the slightest idea what it was that she wanted from him. She hesitated only another moment then pushed herself up on her toes so she could reach him, pressing her mouth to his as her arms went around his back tentatively.

There was a short moment where he quieted, surprised, then his arms wrapped around her as well, deepening the kiss as he pulled her body closer. When his tongue barely traced her lips she let him explore, suddenly on fire as his hands trailed along her sides and over her hips.

The magician hadn't expected her to come to him so readily or nearly so willingly. When he'd started his game pretending to be a member of her guard he assumed she wouldn't have a care in the world for him. It had been Jieun she'd picked but now that she was in this world her heart hadn't been so quick to settle. He'd been watching her carefully for two weeks since the Prince last left on his latest excursion and while he was exceptionally weak he wasn't completely powerless. Giving himself a physical form in the Kingdom of Grass was easier than in Heejung's world since it already possessed magic where hers did not.

He'd waited a year after her arrival, until she seemed to have fallen out of love with the Prince and he seemed to have done the same. It had all been a matter of timing, very carefully planned…and this was breaking far from those plans.

When she'd kissed him any pretence he'd attempted to keep up as to only being a guard faded away. She moaned as he pulled her closer to him, pressing her hips into his own. As opposed to being concerned with getting caught he was idly pondering if there was some spell he could use to disrobe her instantly. He growled lowly when he heard the voice of that damn Knightly Rabbit, always checking in on his former master's fiancé'.

"Are you out here my lady?" The call wasn't that far off, and clearly Jihae was looking for her. The Magician was so distracted looking that way. He was half tempted to use what power he had to make stew out of the annoying herbivore. So distracted with vengeful thoughts at the interruption he didn't see or expect Heejung to push him into a group of gentle blue Hydrangea bushes. He grit his teeth to keep from protesting at the indignation at the sudden relocation of his person. Instead staying out of sight as much as he could, it seemed that was what she wanted after all.

"My lady, what happened?" Jihae sounded concerned. "How did your robes get torn like that?"

_"Oh, you'd rather not know the truth."_ The magician thought as he looked around at the pastel floral he was trapped in.

"I was trying to climb up to get one of the flowers and I fell." Heejung said nervously, she was the worst liar possible. "My clothing got caught on some of the thorns and didn't survive nearly as well as I did."

_"Fell? Might as well tell him you stumbled down the steps…"_ The magician rolled his eyes at the cliché'.

"Oh, well I'm glad you didn't get injured then." Jihae still sounded concerned, he'd walked closer to her and was likely looking her over more critically. Not a hint of distrust in his voice.

_"Idiot."_

"I thought you normally had lunch in the library." Jihae continued, apparently fine with the state of her health enough to move to other issues. "I didn't expect to find you here."

"Be thankful you didn't walk in about twenty seconds prior. You really wouldn't have expected that."

"I just needed a short break." Heejung replied, making a show of dusting off her dress.

"I heard you have a new guard, are they acceptable? Polite to you?" Jihae asked.

_"If you don't include ripping her gown in a fit of passion. Stunningly gentile I'm sure."_

"Yes, he's been good company. I've really been enjoying having him around." Heejung replied.

_ "Understatement. Couldn't you get rid of the long ears any faster?"_

"Just be careful, a lot of people would like to use you for your connection to the Prince."

_ "Yes, well I just wanted to steal her from him."_

"I'll keep that in mind." Heejung answered.

_"Better to play along."_

"I was going to head into the village, did you want to come with me? I know you can only get out under specific circumstances and thought it would be a good thing for you." Jihae asked politely.

"Sure. I'd like that, you know I always want to head into town." Heejung replied. "Do you mind waiting for me to get a new dress?"

_"My heroine, you are an incredible tease…are you really going to ditch me here?" _The Magician grinned despite the robin egg blue petals falling around him. He waited until he heard the doors closing to let out the laugh. She was going to be his after all…he could repay her for today later…


End file.
